he hasn't been the media star that john paul ii used to be. he has just tidecided to stay te to his character. and made the announcement not lock like such a big deal. >> claudio lavagna in rome. we will be check iing in with y throughout the morning. and now with more here is savannah. >> thanks, matt. >>> a consultant, thank you for being with us. >> hello. >> george, it's savannah. an incredibly surprising turn of events. what is the process for replace ing a pope under these circumstances? >> savannah, let's pause on that first statement just a moment. this is a surprise in that it hasn't happened in 717 years, but it's not a surprise in that benedict xvi has, on several public occasions and in his most recent interview book said that if he ever reached the judgment in conscience, as that statement said today, that he could not give the church the service it deserves because of advancing age or ill health that he would abdicate. i think it's a great statement about the humility of joseph ratzinger, as he will become at the moment of his ab